Entombed in His Desire

Chapter 26

(I do not own the images to these stories.)
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Bassel knelt before his master. He had been bruised, beaten, and nearly broken as he fought off the army of snakes. But the physical pain that he felt was no match for the pain in his heart. Fear consumed him as he trembled before the angry god. Such an emotion was rarely known to Bassel, and most would have thought it was because of informing his master of his failings. But in truth, it was because Mer Ek had been taken by his master's enemy. "Forgive me, my lord. I--"

"Silence!" his master exclaimed. The rage was burning in his master's eyes. Bassel could almost feel the burning of his master's enragement. "If he harms so much as a hair on her head, I will destroy you!  How did this happen? How were you even distracted?"

Bassel could not tell him the truth. For if his master knew that he had been distracted by his own heart, then that would have been considered the ultimate form of betrayal against the god. "She was upset; she was crying. I was comforting her. I'm sorry that I let my guard down. Even though you made it impossible for me to love her as only you shall, she still is like a sister to me. I wanted to help her. But as I was comforting her, we got distracted. The next thing I know, his army of snakes were surrounding us. I fought as hard as I could, but they took her. And I know the only reason that they spared me, was so that I could come and tell you what had happened."

His master looked at him in both anger and confusion. "Comforting her because she was crying? Why?  You were delivering her to me!  To be my queen, my immortal goddess!  Why would this mortal woman need comforting because of that?  Any woman, mortal or goddess, would love to be in her place!"

"I think she was afraid of not being up to your standards, my lord." Bassel replied. "She was afraid of not being good enough for you!" It was a lie, but he had to protect her. "Don't worry my, my lord. I will rescue her."

"No!" the angry god proclaimed. "Mer Ek is my bride-to-be, I shall be the one to rescue her!"

"But that's what he wants!" Bassel protested. "He's setting a trap for you!"

"Silence fool!" his master snapped. "Do you honestly think that I don't know that?"

But the look of anger in his master's face soon soften into a look of sorrow. "If I don't face him myself, he might harm her in retaliation. No, I will face my enemy.  I have defeated him before, and I shall do it again. The last time I faced him, I didn't have as much to lose. But now he has everything. He has imprisoned the woman who has stolen my heart."

Bassel awoke with a gasp from his horrible nightmare. I can't believe it. I relived that awful day in my sleep, my own dreams. The day she was taken from me. But this time I won't make that mistake again. This time she shall be forever mine!

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Robert had been told that he had a visitor. It was likely his worthless public defender. Even his own lawyer had turned on him. Not one lawyer, not even the public defender who didn't have a choice, wanted to represent him in court. True, what he had been accused of was horrendous. But even the foulest of accused pedophiles can find high powered legal representation, if they can afford them. But every lawyer he tried to contact refused to take his case.

Robert walked down the long corridor to the visitor's area.  The sounds of his footsteps as well as the guard's, echoed throughout the prison hallway. He looked up at the guard who didn't even look at him.  The man looked possessed. Then again, most of the guards looked possessed lately.  Was he paranoid?  Or was there actually a conspiracy against him?  As they reached the visitor's room, the guard unlocked the door.

"Ten minutes Addington." The guard stated. Robert looked inside the room, but instead of seeing his public defender; there stood Karen Crenshaw. Her arms were crossed, as she had a smug expression upon her face. Not wanting to talk to her, he turned to leave. But as he did the guard had shut the door and locked him inside.

What is this?  I am too dangerous of an individual to be issued bail, but not so dangerous that I can be left alone in a locked room with the woman who reported me?

"What do you want Karen?" Robert snapped.

"Is that anyway to greet an old friend?" she asked.

"We are not old friends." He answered. "I'm surprised that you feel comfortable being left alone in a locked room with me. Perhaps that means you know damn good and well that I am innocent."

"Oh Robert, don't be so mellow dramatic." She scoffed. "I can make things much easier for you. You just need to give me a chance."

She was pouting, but it was obvious that she was mocking him. This only angered him. "Again, Karen, what do you want?"

But she only looked at him and sighed. "I just want to let you know that your brother's annual ball is tonight. Too bad you won't be there, it's Egyptian themed."

That's right, it's October 30th; Amanda will turn eighteen at exactly the stroke of midnight. The party being Egyptian, it can't be a coincidence.

"I myself am going as Hathor, the Egyptian goddess of love and beauty." She added. Robert didn't know how this was all related to him being put in jail. But he decided to play along and find out.

"Being ironic I see." He said mockingly.

Her face went stoic, as she gave him a cold stare. "If you would learn to be a little more cooperative, Robert, things might go a lot easier for you."

"What did you have in mind?" he asked.

The cold angry look upon her face soon became friendly, as her smile returned. "I have a present for you in my purse." 

Perhaps her smile was friendly, but he could sense the venom behind her deceptive eyes.  He knew not to trust her, as he intently watched her grab her bag. But what she pulled out was something he had not been expecting. It was a deadly cobra, similar to the one that appeared in his home and tried to attack him that night. Feeling cornered in fear, Robert's eyes widened, as he backed into the wall. "Where the hell did you get that, Karen?"

"Isn't he beautiful?" she mused, admiring the scaly vermin while she held it in her hand. "You know, we were once lovers when we were human. But that was a long time ago, before we died and had been turned into snakes."

"You're not Karen!" Robert exclaimed. "Where is she?  What did you do to her?"

"Oh come now." She chuckled. "No one liked that bitch, including you. You must admit, everyone's attitude towards her changed, once I took over. The entire town seems to like me much better now."

"Why are you telling me this?" He asked. "Why not just kill me instead?"

"Because I need a vessel for my beloved." She explained. "And I have chosen you. Next to Apep, you are the most handsome man in town."

"Apep!" he exclaimed. "Did you just say Apep; the god of Chaos?"

"Who else would a snake creature from the underworld, such as me, worship so adamantly?"  She replied.

Terrified at the prospect of Apep being released from the realm of the dead terrified Robert. "Who is he? Why is he here? What does he want?" 

He stared at her intensely, but all she did was laugh maniacally. "You already know the answer!  Now just accept your fate, just as this vessel had to accept hers."

"Mark!" Robert exclaimed. "He wants Amanda!  What is he going to do to Amanda, you harlot?"

As she held the snake she just continued to laugh. But out of nowhere, she suddenly stopped laughing. Her body began to shake, similar to that of a seizure. As she struggled, it looked as though she was trying to communicate with him. "R-robert! Help me! You-you're the only one who can st-stop him. S-save Amanda!"

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